Injured US scooter riders line up to sue Bird and Lime, but ‘user agreements’ could shield companies

All large number of rental scooters are parked near the Convention Center along 5th Avenue in San Diego in July 2018. A law firm in Southern California has spearheaded a class action lawsuit aimed at scooter companies Lime and Bird, claiming the devices are unsafe for use in urban environments. (Eduardo Contreras/San Diego Union-Tribune/TNS)

SAN DIEGO: Pat Brogan had already picked up considerable speed on a Lime scooter riding downhill on Laurel Street when she said she realised the brakes weren't working. 

“I thought I was going to die for sure,” said the 63-year-old Bay Area resident who was visiting family in San Diego.